Engineering Carbonscape to Develop Biographite Demonstration Plant in Finland

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Carbonscape has finalized the Sunila site in Finland to develop the demonstration plant for biographite production. With this, the company aims to establish a European battery supply chain independent of traditional graphite sources.

Blenheim/New Zealand – Carbonscape, a pioneer in sustainable battery materials announces a significant leap forward in its journey towards commercialization by selecting the Sunila site in Finland as the location for its biographite demonstration plant. This strategic decision marks an important step for Carbonscape in establishing a European battery supply chain independent of traditional graphite sources, and the data generated by the plant will also support expansion globally.

The Sunila site, located in Kotka in southern Finland, is owned by Stora Enso, a global leader in renewable materials and a co-owner of Carbonscape. In 2023 Stora Enso closed its pulp production and lignin extraction operations at Sunila and will now lease part of the site area to Carbonscape.

Carbonscape is currently advancing its engineering study for the demonstration plant, as well as its first commercial plant. The aim is to start construction of the demonstration plant next year and begin sample production in 2026.

Revolutionizing the Battery Industry

Carbonscape, a New Zealand-based bioeconomy company, has developed a low cost and carbon-negative biographite made from wood biomass. This revolutionary material is engineered to replace mined or fossil-based synthetic graphite in lithium-ion batteries, addressing critical supply chain and sustainability challenges in the rapidly growing electric vehicle and energy storage sectors.

Ivan Williams, CEO of Carbonscape, commented: "Our partnership with Stora Enso and the decision to locate our demonstration plant in Sunila underscore the global potential of our technology. By producing biographite from sustainable wood sources, we're not just creating a new supply chain – we're redefining what's possible in battery technology."

A Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Future

The selection of Stora Enso's Sunila site comes a year after the forest industry leader became a shareholder in Carbonscape. This collaboration combines Carbonscape's cutting-edge technology with Stora Enso's expertise in bio-based innovations from renewable materials.

Juuso Konttinen, Senior Vice President of Biomaterials Growth Businesses at Stora Enso, stated: Hosting Carbonscape's demonstration plant at our Sunila site aligns perfectly with our shared vision for advancing sustainable battery technologies and the shift to renewable materials. This partnership enables us to explore synergies between our plants, driving innovation and strengthening Stora Enso's leadership in sustainable solutions.”

From Pilot to Commercial Scale

Since 2018, Carbonscape has been optimizing its biographite production process at its pilot plant in New Zealand. The new demonstration plant in Sunila represents a significant scaling up of this technology, paving the way for full commercialization.

The demonstration plant will have three main purposes:

• Producing larger biographite samples for OEMs and battery cell makers and for product qualification purposes

• Training operators and engineers in a large industrial setting

• Getting closer to one of the end markets for Carbonscape: Europe

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